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pleasure in handing you a copy of a reply received from Vice-Consul 
D. R. Peacock, of Batoum, in case you may care to file it for future 
reference. 
Yours, &. 
rris, Esq., (Signed) Kenric B. MURRAY, 
Royal Gardens, Kew. Secretary. 
(Enclosure.) 
Liquorice Root. 
1. Is it necessary to acquire the right to dig roots in the lands where 
they grow, or is the digging of the root free to every ? 
'The land yielding Liquorice root (chiefly in the distriet of Elizave- 
topol) being the property either of —— people or the Crown, the 
right to dig roots must necessarily be aequi 
2. If the right has to be acquired, in vani form is this done now, and 
what is the cost of such acquisition ? 
' The right is generally acquired by a contract made with the pro- 
prietors, or, in the case of Crown lands, with the native villagers enjoy- 
ing the usufr uct of same. Land, however, situated at a certain distance 
compáred with that for lands lying close to the railway stations. 'The 
actual cost of the acquisition of the right to dig roots is about from 
1. 10s. “ts 2I. 10s. per acre, in consideration of which the whole gene of 
land belonging to the same distriet is for digging purposes not 
other tn the contractor securing for a certain period a vit of 
monopol 
3. Are the labourers who dig the root hired by the day, or are they 
paid by weight for the root dug ? 
Diggers are paid by weight. 
4. If paid by the day pleasestate amount of daily wages and average 
quantity of root dug per day. 
See previous reply. The etic ae of root dug per day by one 
labourer is about 4} poods, or 1 
5. If paid by weit please dinis jd amount paid per pood. 
The amount paid per pood (36 lbs.) is in the average 18 copecks, or 
about ls. 2d. per cwt., on delivery at railway stations. Wages vary 
from 40 to 60 copecks per da 
6. How many pounds of dry root are obtained from 100 poods of 
fresh root on an average ? 
On the A dm 45 poods of dry root are obtained from 100 poods of 
fresh root 
r What i is the cost of the transport from the lands where the roots 
are dug to Baku 
Th of the transit to Baku of course varies accordi ing to the 
lupe from the pangel ws ay statíons to that place, at the rate of 
qs Copeck per pood and v 
. 8. What is the railway pen from Baku to Batoum 
The railway freight from Baku to Batoum M thus be about 
21 copecks per pood. 
9. What taxes, &e, are imposed by the Government and local 
authorities F 
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